Dynamo bring Colombian Cruz on trial

As part of their efforts to reinforce their roster in the
summer transfer window, the Dynamo will welcome Colombian midfielder Daniel
Cruz to Houston
for a trial, beginning Thursday.

Not to be confused with Houston midfielder Danny Cruz, the 30-year-old Cruz is a native of Cali, Colombia, who has played
in the Benelux countries since he was a teenager. He joined Dutch power Ajax at
the age of 17 and made several appearances for the first team in the 2000-01 Eredivisie season.

Cruz has spent the majority of his career in Belgium, moving
to Germinal Beerschot on loan in 2002 and permanently in 2003. He has since set
a Belgian league record for appearances by a foreign-born player, surpassing
the 250-game mark, and become a naturalized Belgian citizen.

“He’s someone that was first brought to our attention in the
offseason,” Dynamo assistant coach Wade Barrett
said. “He’s had a good professional career and played at some big clubs, and we’re
looking to improve the squad.”

Cruz's father, former Argentine player Jose Luiz Cruz,
coached his son at the well-known Tucumán
Football Academy
in Cali before the younger Cruz joined the Ajax academy. Cruz
is likely to be available for the Dynamo’s reserve friendly on Sunday morning against
Monterrey’s
U-20 squad, and Barrett said Cruz is capable of playing in multiple positions.

“In some of the stuff we’ve seen he’s been in the midfield,
in some of the stuff he’s been up top,” Barrett said. “He’s a skillful player,
and we’re eager to see how he can fit in with the guys here.”

Sunday’s reserve squad could also include Ecuadorian forward
Miler Castillo, who has trained on the side this week while recovering from
injury, and several Dynamo
Academy players.